Alvarez, a self-described "political junkie," said he is cautious about discussing one of his favorite subjects at the workplace.

"For one thing, there's so much going on at work that there isn't time (for long political discussions)," Alvarez said.

"Also, I think people feel more passionately about the election this year, and I think it's become uglier than usual. People feel strongly about one candidate or another. Even a subtle question like, 'Did you happen to watch the debate last night?' can lead quickly to a big discussion."

With 110 employees at Financial Plus's main branch, the topic of politics is bound to come up, Alvarez admitted.

"People do talk about it, and I think they respect each other's opinions," he said. "But sometimes it's hard to maintain that respect and level-headedness when emotions are involved."

And sometimes, employees don't know each other as well as they think they do.

"I've had a couple of people approach me assuming they knew who I was voting for," Alvarez said. "One was right, and the other was wrong."

The credit union doesn't endorse political candidates. Alvarez only hinted at who's getting his vote by saying, "I definitely think we need some very positive change to turn things around."

There's less mystery, Alvarez noted, about another recent topic of heated workplace debate: the Michigan State-University of Michigan football game.

"On that topic, the allegiances are obvious," Alvarez said.

Kelly Whalen, an intake specialist at McLaren Health Plan, is bold in advertising her favorite political candidate, but careful when discussing politics at work.

"I went out to lunch the other day and bought an Obama T-shirt," Whalen said. "Then I came back to work and made sure it didn't violate our dress code before I put it on."

Wearing the shirt at work not only told Whalen's co-workers how she was voting; it gave her clues as to their opinions.

"The Obama supporters would come up and say things like, 'Nice shirt,' or 'Where can I get one of those?'" Whalen said.

"I figure the ones who didn't say anything are supporting McCain."

One woman who supports John McCain jokingly asked Whalen if the people who sold her the Barack Obama T-shirt also sold McCain shirts.

"We just laughed about it," Whalen said. "I think the closer you are to someone, the easier it is to joke or talk about politics. If I don't know someone very well, I try to stay away from the subject."

Whalen said she isn't afraid of voicing her opinion, but doesn't want "to argue it out" with co-workers.

"I don't think it does any good, because everybody's mind is set," she said. "I can deal with other people having different opinions than I have, but I'm worried about hurting someone else's feelings, especially if I don't know them too well."

Alvarez and Whalen have the right idea, according to Debra Fine, a Colorado-based author of "The Fine Art of Small Talk" and "The Fine Art of Big Talk" (Hyperion).

"Political debates are likely infiltrating the office, making it more important than ever to be wise about your political comments," Fine said.

Her tips for handling political talks at work include the following:

• Know your audience. If you are to engage in a political conversation with a co-worker, make sure you have an idea of his/her position. If you aren't sure, try asking a more open-ended question that may elicit a defining response. Tailor your comments to be inoffensive and not permanently damaging.

• Know your stuff. Be prepared with accurate information about current political happenings so you project credibility.

• Debate facts, not feelings. Keep emotionally driven statements out of your political discussion and stick to hard facts. This way, you don't hurt anyone's feelings and your own feelings don't get harmed.

• Respect! Respect yourself, your political candidates, your co-workers, your co-workers' opinions and your job. Always be thoughtful of what you say and how you say it.

• Speak up or shut up. There's no harm in tastefully expressing your views, but don't feel pressured to share your thoughts. Just make a personal decision to talk or not talk about it up front and stick with it.

• Listen to what is being said. Take time to hear what your co-worker says and appreciate his or her opinion. Ask questions you think will enhance the dialogue.

• Know when to back down, turn around and walk away. If you feel like the conversation is getting too intense or uncomfortable, excuse yourself. Read body language to help keep your comments in check.

• Agree to disagree. It's fun to have stimulating political banter, but if you agree to disagree up front, it can be more entertaining and less destructive.

• At the end of the day, you work for the same company with the same end goal, so don't let political conversations interfere with your productivity and work relationships.

• Know the company's policies. Know what is and isn't allowed in the way of political expressions -- such as sending out political e-mails and hanging signs -- and adhere to management requests.